1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seat belt usage indicating devices and more particularly pertains to a new seat belt usage indicating device for indicating that a male portion of a seat belt is engaging a female portion of a seat belt buckle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of seat belt usage indicating devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, seat belt usage indicating devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,733; U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,221; U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,063; U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,252; U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,314; and Des. U.S. Pat. No. 374,327.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new seat belt usage indicating device. The inventive device includes a housing. The housing has a front wall, a back wall, and a peripheral wall extending therebetween. The peripheral wall has a slot therein for releasably engaging a male portion of a seat belt buckle. A plate extends away from and is integrally coupled to the peripheral wall. The plate is adapted for removably extending into and releasably engages the female portion of a seat belt buckle. Control circuitry is adapted for sending a signal to a speaker. The control circuitry is securely mounted in the housing. A sensing means for sensing the male portion is positioned in the housing such that male portion may engage the sensing means. The sensing means is electrically coupled to the control circuitry. A speaker for emitting a sound is securably mounted in the housing and extends outwardly from the front wall. The speaker is operationally coupled to the control circuitry. The control circuitry sends a signal to the speaker when the male portion is removed from the housing.
In these respects, the seat belt usage indicating device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of indicating that a male portion of a seat belt is engaging a female portion of a seat belt buckle.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of seat belt usage indicating devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new seat belt usage indicating device construction wherein the same can be utilized for indicating that a male portion of a seat belt is engaging a female portion of a seat belt buckle.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new seat belt usage indicating device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the seat belt usage indicating devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new seat belt usage indicating device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art seat belt usage indicating devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing. The housing has a front wall, a back wall, and a peripheral wall extending therebetween. The peripheral wall has a slot therein for releasably engaging a male portion of a seat belt buckle. A plate extends away from and is integrally coupled to the peripheral wall. The plate is adapted for removably extending into and releasably engages the female portion of a seat belt buckle. Control circuitry is adapted for sending a signal to a speaker. The control circuitry is securely mounted in the housing. A sensing means for sensing the male portion is positioned in the housing such that male portion may engage the sensing means. The sensing means is electrically coupled to the control circuitry. A speaker for emitting a sound is securably mounted in the housing and extends outwardly from the front wall. The speaker is operationally coupled to the control circuitry. The control circuitry sends a signal to the speaker when the male portion is removed from the housing.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new seat belt usage indicating device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the seat belt usage indicating devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new seat belt usage indicating device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art seat belt usage indicating devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new seat belt usage indicating device which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new seat belt usage indicating device which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new seat belt usage indicating device which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such seat belt usage indicating device economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new seat belt usage indicating device which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new seat belt usage indicating device for indicating that a male portion of a seat belt is engaging a female portion of a seat belt buckle.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new seat belt usage indicating device which includes a housing. The housing has a front wall, a back wall, and a peripheral wall extending therebetween. The peripheral wall has a slot therein for releasably engaging a male portion of a seat belt buckle. A plate extends away from and is integrally coupled to the peripheral wall. The plate is adapted for removably extending into and releasably engages the female portion of a seat belt buckle. Control circuitry is adapted for sending a signal to a speaker. The control circuitry is securely mounted in the housing. A sensing means for sensing the male portion is positioned in the housing such that male portion may engage the sensing means. The sensing means is electrically coupled to the control circuitry. A speaker for emitting a sound is securably mounted in the housing and extends outwardly from the front wall. The speaker is operationally coupled to the control circuitry. The control circuitry sends a signal to the speaker when the male portion is removed from the housing.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new seat belt usage indicating device that is retrofittable to existing automobiles.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new seat belt usage indicating device that differentiates between a person and cargo.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.